


The Blood of the Covenant

by atlanxic



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Blood, Loyalty, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 10:23:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13657035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atlanxic/pseuds/atlanxic
Summary: The Nohrian royal family has their retainer, the one whom they’ve decided upon, drink their blood and swear fealty.





	1. The Thief

**Author's Note:**

> Someone linked me this and told me that Nohrian blood rites are a seldom-known canon fact and I immediately knew I had to write something about it. http://aphonicdreams.tumblr.com/post/123224642382/for-pink-harajuku-and-two-anons-like-father-like

Leo meets the thief in the basement of the castle, when the last chill breaths of fall are fading from the air. He had been up late into the night, studying bonsai trees, when he hears a commotion outside the room; an argument, perhaps. Thinking it strange that the servants would be up late arguing in the cellar, he calls forth a small blue flame, and goes out into the corridor.

When he rounds the corner, he sees a man he's never met before. Dark-skinned and wide-eyed, flinching away from Leo's presence. He hears footsteps scatter, behind the man.

"You're an intruder," Leo states, narrowing his eyes. The man straightens his back, and bows his head.

"That I am, your Highness," the man says wryly. "I expect I'll be executed by your hand." He laughs quietly to himself. "An honour, really. I always figured I'd die in a gutter."

"I never said anything about execution," Leo says, intrigued.

The man's eyes widen. "With all due respect, your Highness, it seems like the only reasonable ending for this intrusion, or for my life. Unless you'd prefer to keep me in a dungeon, which is of course your right, but it's certainly not my preference."

"I will do no such thing," Leo declares, and part of it is stubbornness, not wanting to be seen through by a common thug. Of course he had thought about killing him on sight. But it seems a waste now. "You will accompany me to my reading room."

"You sure about that?" the man asks. "I could stab you as soon as you turn your back."

"If you were going to stab me, you would have done so by now," Leo says, and he doesn't know himself how he's so certain of it, but he is. "Tell me your name."

"Niles," the man says. "My name is Niles."

\---

In the reading room, Leo finds out precious little about Niles' past, aside from the immediate reasons he had been in the castle. What he does learn, is that Niles is the most interesting conversational partner he's had in some time. Niles is clearly unused to speaking to someone of his station, and occasionally lets slip a word or phrase that Leo is certain would scandalize his siblings. He thinks that perhaps he should be scandalized as well, but finds himself charmed, instead. Leo learns, too, that the city beyond the castle's walls is nothing like the slim segments he has seen on his outings, but in fact rife with crime and struggling. He wonders how his father allows it to be so.

He learns, most importantly, that Niles is a man he can trust. He isn't trying to gain anything by Leo's favour. He isn't trying to shelter Leo from the harsh truth of the outside world. He isn't trying anything. He is truly a man with nothing left to lose and nothing more to gain, simply waiting for Leo to tire of him and put him to the blade.

Leo decides, ultimately, that it would be a waste to do so. His father had assigned him retainers, some years ago, but they work for his father's agenda, and Leo finds it difficult to trust them. He would be better served, he thinks, by Niles' unflinching honesty. From the ashes of a man with nothing left, he can pull the finest gold threads of loyalty.

His father is against it, of course. Even Xander expresses some doubts. In the end, it is decided that Niles' fate will be decided in a trial by combat. Leo is surprised when he chooses to decide his fate not by the blade, but by the bow.

The royal family, save for Elise, watch on in shock as Niles defeats not only Leo's past retainers, but the chimeras the king unleashes when they fall. He stands over a pile of corpses, fresh cuts on his forehead and thigh, drenched in blood of both his own and otherwise, hair a mess. His triumphant smile is topped by eyebrows quirked with concern, the need for approval.

Leo thinks he's never seen someone more appealing.

Niles walks towards the balcony where the royal family is seated, and kneels. "Lord Leo, may I have the honour of working in your service?" he asks, looking up to make eye contact.

Leo nods. "You may," he says, and then glances at his father.

"I will allow it," King Garon states.

"You both have my thanks," Niles says. "I swear, with the great Dusk Dragon as my witness, that I shall be loyal to Prince Leo for as long as I draw breath."

\---

Leo asks Niles to come to his chambers on the night of the winter solstice, when even the fireplace roaring in the corner of his bedroom isn't quite enough to keep him warm.

"Milord?" Niles questions, from just outside the room.

Leo is already holding the knife when he answers. "You may come in, Niles."

Niles opens the door. He glances at the knife in Leo's hand, and then up to his face, and his brow furrows.

"Peace, Niles," Leo says. "I do not mean you any harm."

"Would that you did," Niles replies. "For if this is going where I think it's going, I would much sooner have you spill a torrent of my blood than a drop of your own."

Leo is caught off guard, both by Niles' knowledge and his reluctance. He realizes immediately that he shouldn't be surprised by either.

"A few drops is all it takes," Leo replies calmly. "And it will be well worth it to ensure that I am with you always."

"Milord, it takes no ritual to prove that you are always in my thoughts," Niles pleads. "Every day that I draw breath, I do so in service to you." He says this with utmost conviction, meeting Leo's eyes. Leo, unused to such earnest displays of loyalty and affection, nearly looks away.

"Then you must understand," Leo says. "That this too, is a service I require of you."

"Surely there is someone better suited to your needs than a wretch like me," Niles says. "Milord, I deeply appreciate the offer. It means more to me than I could ever hope to repay, and that is exactly why I must decline."

"Niles," Leo says, and he's not entirely sure how to convey that for all the loyalty the other man displays for him, he feels a reciprocal emotion in return. Pride, perhaps. The desire to prove himself worthy of such fealty.

Thinking too hard about his words, he turns the knife over in his hands, and, by accident, slices open his ring finger.

Niles' reaction is instantaneous. Before Leo can even register the feeling of pain, the knife is out of his hands.

A single drop of blood falls to the stone floor.

"Niles, my apologies," Leo says. "I promise, it is not my intention to coerce you into making a vow you are unprepared to commit to, I just-"

"Leo," Niles cuts him off. He reaches past his lord to place the knife on the table behind him. "Were you not listening? I live every day in commitment to you: mind, body, and soul. And I shall not waste your blood if it freely flows."

He picks up Leo's hand and wraps his lips around Leo's injured finger. His tongue is soft and gentle against Leo's skin. Leo watches, transfixed, as Niles lavished his finger with attention. The fireplace crackles and splutters.

Niles releases Leo's finger slowly, when the bleeding slows, and then presses a kiss just slightly damp with blood to the back of Leo's hand.

"Lord Leo," he says, solemnly. "I do swear that for as long as I draw breath, my entire being lives in service to you."

He swallows down Leo's blood, and lets go of his hand.

Leo takes a moment to reply.

"Thank you," he says, simply.

"No, thank you," Niles replies. And this, like all other words he has spoken that night, he means sincerely.


	2. The Mage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I do not consider it an act of self harm, Leo does draw blood from his wrist in this chapter.
> 
> Also, do you ever think about how a lodestone imbued with the essence of darkness, such as is mentioned in Leo & Odin's supports, is exactly the thing that caused the entire plot of Sacred Stones to go to hell?

It is when Odin brings back a lodestone imbued with the essence of darkness that Leo is certain. The stone is slightly too large to be held comfortably in one hand, rough to the touch, and and a rich violet hue. However, its most striking characteristic is the soft glow emanating from inside it, which seems to make all its surroundings seem darker by contrast. Odin is wild-eyed when he holds it, untethered, chaos held back only by his need to please.

Leo immediately instructs him to set it in the glass case in the corner of his study. The tension leaving his body is visible as soon as his hands are off it.

"You idiot!" Leo exclaims, closing and locking the door to the cabinet. "Why would you risk prolonged exposure to such a thing?" Even standing four feet away with a glass door in between himself and the lodestone, he can feel the madness it emanates. "You could have lost yourself!"

"You underestimate me!" Odin exclaims. "No mere stone could hold power over Odin Dark!"

"Listen here, you fool, for I will only say this once," Leo says. Odin lets the drama fall from his face and, for a moment, looks older than his years.

"You are a valuable asset to my staff, and I will not lose you to the forces of darkness and chaos."

"The forces of darkness and chaos are ever raging within me," Odin proclaims.

"Odin," Leo snaps.

"I'm sorry, Milord," Odin says, dropping the act again. "I didn't realize I meant so much to you."

"Neither did I," Leo admits, rubbing his temple. "I've put you through much hardship. I wish to reward you for your services."

"Milord, there is no need," Odin objects. "Working for you is ever-rewarding."

"I am pleased to hear that you feel that way," Leo replies. "But you are not truly working for me, not yet."

"What do you mean?" Odin asks. "I swore fealty to you before court and king, to this day half a year ago."

"To this day, huh?" Leo muses. He goes over to his desk, and unlocks the topmost side drawer. He withdraws a ceremonial knife, the blade four inches of pure silver. "On that day, I neglected to mention that there is a second rite which must be completed, before you may be considered mine in soul and in body."

Odin pauses, looks at the knife, and then looks at Leo's face. "Do you require my blood, Milord?" he asks.

Leo chuckles quietly. "Quite the opposite, in fact," he replies. "I require that you ingest some of my blood, that I might be with you and part of you always."

Odin licks his lips and Leo is acutely aware of the lingering effect of the lodestone on him, his heightened bloodlust. Even so, he knows he cannot afford to keep Odin at arm's length any longer. It has to be now.

He pushes up his sleeve, and presses the blade softly to his wrist. Blood wells up in a simple line, and then begins to drip down his forearm.

Odin is before him before Leo realizes the other man had moved, his mouth upon Leo's wrist insistent and hungry. It stings, and Leo winces slightly.

"Odin," he says. Odin looks up at him, but does not remove his mouth from Leo's wrist, sucking on the incision with less gentleness than Leo would prefer.

"I need you to swear your loyalty to me, while my blood is upon your tongue."

Odin sucks at the cut one more time, and then pulls back. "Lord Leo," he begins, his solemn tone betrayed by his wild eyes still fixed upon Leo's wrist. "I swear that for as long as blood flows through my veins, every drop of it shall be yours."

He swallows thickly, and then his mouth is at Leo's wrist again. He sucks, hard, and Leo quickly brings his other hand up into Odin's hair, pulling at it in an attempt to get him to stop, or at least ease up.

And he does ease up, just slightly. He stops sucking at the cut, and instead laps at it, almost gently, until it decides it has given up enough blood for one night, and its surface begins to thicken.

Leo stares at Odin warily. Odin, finally, pulls away from Leo's wrist, and looks up at him. He rubs absentmindedly at the blood staining his lips, succeeding in no more than smearing it towards his jawline. He blinks a couple times, and then his eyes open wide. He claps his hands over his mouth, and takes a step back.

"Milord, I fear that I got carried away," he says, regret heavy in his voice. Frantically, he tears at his cape. Leo winces at the sound of fabric ripping, but allows Odin to wrap his wrist nonetheless. "You may punish me as you see fit."

"If anyone is to blame, it should be me," Leo replies, feeling rather tired. "You were under the influence of the lodestone, which I ordered you to obtain."

"I should be stronger than such things," Odin replies solemnly. "I will train my body and mind until there is no possibility of such excess again."

"I will expect that, then," Leo agrees.


End file.
